d by the following extract
from Mr. Fiske's work: "I have endeavoured to show that the transition
from animality (or bestiality, stripping the word of its bad
connotations) to humanity must have been mainly determined by the
prolongation of infancy or immaturity which is consequent upon a high
development of intelligence, and which must have necessitated the
gradual grouping together of pithecoid men into more or less definite
families." (See "Descent," I., page 13, on the prolonged infancy of the
anthropoid apes.))

Down, November 9th, 1871.

I am greatly obliged to you for having sent me, through my son, your
lectures, and for the very honourable manner in which you allude to my
works. The lectures seem to me to be written with much force, clearness,
and originality. You show also a truly extraordinary amount of knowledge
of all that has been published on the subject. The type in many parts
is so small that, except to young eyes, it is very difficult to read.
Therefore I wish that you would reflect on their separate publication,
though so much has been published on the subject that the public may
possibly have had enough. I hope that this may be your intention, for I
do not think I have ever seen the general argument more forcibly put so
as to convert unbelievers.

It has surprised and pleased me to see that you and others have detected
the falseness of much of Mr. Mivart's reasoning. I wish I had read your
lectures a month or two ago, as I have been preparing a new edition of
the "Origin," in which I answer some special points, and I believe
I should have found your lectures useful; but my MS. is now in the
printer's hands, and I have not strength or time to make any more
additions.

P.S.--By an odd coincidence, since the above was written I have received
your very obliging letter of October 23rd. I did notice the point to
which you refer, and will hereafter reflect more over it. I was indeed
on the point of putting in a sentence to somewhat of the same effect in
the new edition of the "Origin," in relation to the query--Why have not
apes advanced in intellect as much as man? but I omitted it on account
of the asserted prolonged infancy of the orang. I am also a little
doubtful about the distinction between gregariousness and sociability.

...When you come to England I shall have much pleasure in making your
acquaintance; but my health is habitually so weak that I have very small
power of conversing with my fri